Phonograph pickups



June 24, 1958 H. F. KLINGENER 2,840,644

FHONOGRAPH pxcxu s 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed April 10. 1952 INVENTOR. II F. (lavas/v64 June 1953 H. F. KLINGENER 2,840,644

PHONOGRAPH PICKUPS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 10, 1952 4 R s mw VIM.

H. F. KLINGENER 2,840,644

PHONOGRAPH PICKUPS June 24, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 10. 1952 INVEN June 24, 1958 H. F. KLINGENER PHONOGRAPH PICKUPS Original Filed April 10. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 M; R. m M MM w w f 1K /4 F.

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June 24, 1958 H. F.- KLINGENER PHONOGRAPH PICKUPS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 Original Filed April 10. 1952 llllLl I IE..../ 5.

INVENTOR. H- F. KLI/YGGWEQ Hire PHONOGRAPH PICKUPS Harry F. Klingener, Valley Stream, N. Y., assignor to Sonotone Corporation, Elnzsford, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application April 111, 1952, Serial No. 231,622, now Patent No. 2,717,929, dated September 13, 1955. Divided and this application June 9, 1955, Serial No. 514,307

3 Claims. c1. 179400.41

nection with phonograph pickups intended for use with laterally-cut record groove traces generally used in making conventional phonograph records, and specific exemplifications of such pickups will be herein described, the principles of the invention are also applicable for pickups designed for use with vertically cut record grooves.

Among the objects of the invention is a simple selfsupporting stylus drive structure comprising a relatively thin elongated flexible drive member carrying at its front end a single groove-engaging stylus only and having a rearward relatively stiif elongated coaxial wider mounting structure with an elongated coaxial junction body of flexible elastomer material wherein the rear part of the flexible stylus drive rod is embedded, the stilt wider mounting structure of the drive rod simplifying the task of joining the flexible stylus drive rod in its operative position to the transducer mounting structure while assuring high fidelity translation of recorded sound into a corresponding electric output.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of exemplifications thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of a phonograph pickup of the invention with one of its styli in a record groove scanning position;

Fig. 2 is a rear end view of-the pickup shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view along line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3-A is a partial cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the pickup with the stylus drive rod and transducer member removed;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the pickup shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows the operative relationship of the fixed transducer of member 30, the turnover stylus drive rod arranged for detachable coupling connection thereto;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the stylus drive rod and the cooperating mounting elements through which it is operatively held by the pickup casing;

Fig. 6-A is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modification of the mounting elements for the detachable stylus drive rod;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of a modified form of phonograph pickup of'the invention;

Fig. 10 is a front end view of the to 9;

pickup of Figs. 7

States PatentO Figs. 11 and 12 are views similar to Figs. 3, 4 of the pickup shown in Figs. 7 to 10; V

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view along line 13-13 of Fig. 11, and shows also the corresponding similar parts of the pickup of Fig. 1 to 6;

Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view along line 1414 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the mounting support of the stylus drive rod of the pickup of Figs. 7 to 10;

Figs. 16 and 17 are views similar to Figs. 1, 3 of still another form of pickup exemplifying the invention;

Figs. 18 and 19 are side and end views, respectively, of one of the two mounting members of the stylus drive rod mounting support of Figs. 16, 17; I

Figs. 20 and21 are side and end views respectively of the other mounting member of Figs. 16, 17;

Fig. 22 is an end view similar to Fig. 17 of a further modification of a pickup of the invention; and

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 10 of a further modification of the drive rod mounting support for a pickup of the invention such as shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Although the phonograph pickups of the present invention may be operated with any of the known types of mechano-electric transducer structures-including these utilizing magnetic structures, electrical resistance elements and piezoelectric structures for converting mechanical strains or motion into electric signalsthe present invention will be described in connection with a pickup utilizing a piezoelectric transducer of the type disclosed in the co-pending applications Serial No. 727,152, filed February 7, 1947, and Serial No. 772,934, filed September 9, 1947, assigned to the assignee of the present application.

Figs. 1 to 6 show one form of a pickup 10 exemplifying the invention. In the form shown, Fig. 1 shows the pickup 10 in its operative position held on the downwardly facing side of the front end of a tone-arm 11 with one of its two styli 21 engaging a record groove trace 14 of a conventional record disc 13. The record disc 13 is arranged to rotate in a conventional way in clockwise direction around a generally vertical axis and the individual spiral record traces 14 of the disc 13 are of substantially circular shape. The tone-arm 11 has a rear end, not shown, which is mounted in a conventional way so as to rotate around a vertical axis and also for upward tilting. Fig. 1 is intended to show the downward stylus 21 engaging a groove portion 14 of the clockwise rotating disc 13 moving in a forward record playing direction indicated by arrow line 211, which is susbtantially tangential to the circular record groove engaged by the stylus. Theaxial direction of the longitudinal stylus drive rod 16 extends substantially in a vertical plane through the forward playing direction 21-1 of the record groove, in generally the same direction.

'In the particular phonograph shown in Fig. 1, the record trace 14 is formed of a laterally-cut record groove which imparts to the pickup stylus 21 a lateral undulatory motion, but as explained before, the pickup 10 of the invention shown may be designed for operation with a vertically cut record groove.

The pickup 11) (Figs. 1 to 6) comprises a mechanoelectric transducer, generally designated 30 (Figs. 3, 10) shown formed of two strip-like piezoelectric transducer elements 31 secured to the opposite sides of a backing sheet element 32 and forming with it a bilaminate piezoelectric transducer structure which when bent or strained transversely to its length will generate corresponding aiding voltages impressed on the outwardly facing electrode surfaces of the two piezoelectric elements 31.

In the form shown, eachof the twopiezoelectric elements 31 consists essentially of a thin solid dielectric layer of ceramic titanate material and two surface electrodes 3 united to the extended opposite outer surfaces of the dielectric layer so as to form therewith a capacitor structure. The surface electrodes are formed by fusing at high temperature afilm of silver-glass hit to the electrode surfaces of the dielectric layer. 4 s I By way of example, each piezoelectric transducer element 31 of the particular pickup shown may haveadielectric layer consisting essentially of barium titanate having a thickness of about 0.010. inch; The width of the dielectric layer and of the backing sheet may be %.p inch. The length of the transducer 30 may be inch. The backing strip may be about 0.005 inch.

The lever-like piezoelectric transducer 30 is retained in operative position between two elastomer pads 33 of a plasticized elastomerv substance (Figs. 3, 4, l) and arranged to exert. on the transducer elements 31 elastically compliant reaction forces resisting their displace ment so as to cause themto generate electric signal voltage correspondingto the undulatory strains or motion imparted to a forward drive end 34 of the transducer 30.

The elastomer pads may be made of a material such as vinyl chloride compound or the like, which embodies sutficient plasticizer substance to serve as plastic elastomers which are effective in assuring that they exert on th piezoelectric strip elements 31 reaction forces which cause proper distribution of the mechanical strains throughout their dielectric layer when the front end 24 of the. transducer structure is undulated by the movement of the stylus.

The twoelastomer pads 33 are held in their proper operative position by a housing structure consisting of two housing walls 35 suitably secured to eachother as by screws or hollow rivets 41 shown.

In the form shown, the two casing walls .35 are of substanially rigid, molded, insulating material. The inwardly facing sides of the two housing walls 35 are provided with elongated recesses providing an elongated compartment 36 of greater width than the transducer structure andfor holding therein the two elastomer pads 33 in their operative position pressing against the opposite sides of the elongated transducer structure 30.. 1

7 Extended parts of the inwardly facingsides of the two casing walls are held clamped to each other in abutting relation by the fastening rivets 41. The transducer compartment 36 is open at its front end 37 in which the drive-end portion 34 of the transducer structure 30 is positioned. To prevent turning or movement of the elongated lever-like transducer structure 30 in a vertical plane, an additional elastomer pad 38 of similar material is retained clamped between the opposite compartment walls of the two casing walls 35 so that its downwardly facing side engages an upwardly facing edge region of an intermediate part of the transducer 30 thereby restraining its movement in an upward direction.

The fastening rivets 41 also hold fastened against the outer sides of the two casing walls 35 of the pickup mounting brackets 43 having horizontal arms 44 with holes for receiving screws by means of which the pickup is secured to mounting bosses47 provided on the downwardly facing side of the forward part of the tonearm 11.

Within recessed inwardly facing portions along the rear region of the two casing walls 35, along their rear end, are retained two terminal members 51 provided with outwardly. projecting terminal prongs 52. The terminal members 51 are made of a relatively firm strip of metal, such as brass, and they are retained in their clamped position between the two housing walls by a compressed elastic insulating member 53, such as rubber, interposed therebctween (Figs. 2, 3, 4).

" The inner end of each relatively firm terminal member- 51 is providedwith a relatively flexible spring-like tail portion 54. fo'lded in the way indicated in'Figs. 3 and- 4, over the rearregion of the adjacent elastomer pad 33 and held pressed thereby into contact engagement with the adjacent outer electrode surface portion of the piezoelectric element 31 of the transducer structure 30. In this manner, the two external terminal projections 52 provided opposite polarity terminal connections to the outer electrode surfaces of the piezoelectric transducer structure 30.

A forward drive portion 34 of the lever-like piezoelectric transducer 30 (Fig. 3) is drivinglycoupled to the stylus drive-rod member 16, the forward end of which carries the two oppositely projecting styli 21. In the form shown, the forward drive portion 34 of the piezoelectric transducer 30 has secured thereto an elongated drive extension 61 extending downwardly and forwardly into the open front end 37 of the transducer compartment 36 and shown projecting beyond the lower boundary of the forward part of the two casing walls 35. The drive extension 6]. is shown formed of a relatively stiff sheet metal strip provided at its rear with two ears 62 bent into U-shaped formation, and is insulatingly afiixed, as by a suitable insulating cement, to the forward drive portion 34 of the transducer 30 so as to form a fixed drive extension thereof. The elongated downwardly and forward-1y projecting tongue-like drive extension 61 is provided at its front end with a coupling end 63 having a recess or perforation 631 serving as a coupling seat for receiving therein and detachably holding in coupling driving engagement, the forward region of the stylus driverod 16 extending with its longitudinal axis lengthwise below the bottom center region of the pickup housing walls 35.

The relatively long drive extension 61 is designed to be relatively flexible in the direction of a vertical plane through its longitudinal axis so as to prevent the transmission of undesirable vertical motion but to havesufiicient lateral stiffness for transmitting to the transducer 30 the lateral forces exerted on the stylus 21 by the lateral undulations of the record groove. If the pickup of the type shown is intended for use with a vertically rndulating record groove, the drive extension 61 will be given the greater flexibility in a lateral direction and relatively greater stiffness in a vertical direction. r

The stylus drive-rod 16 may be formed of a solid or tubular strip of metal and has secured to its front end the two oppositely projecting styli 21. The two styli Zlmay form part of a single stylus structure having oppositely directed pointed stylus tips. Alternatively the two styli 21 may form independent stylus units, each held anchored within a mounting collar affixed within a perforation or forming a fixed part of the forward end of the stylus drive rod 16. V

The pickup shown in Figs. 1 to 6, being intended for use with a laterally undulating record groove trace, has a stylus drive rod 16 designed to be relatively flexible in the direction of a vertical plane through its longitudinal axis so as to bias the stylus with only very slight pressure forces, such as about 5 grams, toward the scanned record groove, but to have sutficient lateral stiitness for transmitting to the transducer 30 the lateral forces exerted on the stylus by the lateral undulations of the record groove. If the pickup of the type shown is intended for use with a vertically undulating record groove, the stylus drive rod will be. given the greater flexibility in lateral direction and relatively greater stiffness in vertical direction.

The vertically compliant, laterally stiff stylus drive rod 16 in cooperation with the likewise vertically compliant, laterallyl stiff drive extension 61 assure suppression of disturbing undesirable vertical forces that may be trans mitted by one of the styli 21.

According to the invention, the two-stylus drive rod of a phonograph pickup is arranged to be carried by the pickup structure so that the stylus drive-rod may be irrdependently rotated or turned over an angle of around its axis while the transducer structure driven by the drive rod remains fixed in its position on the tone- In the formshown (Figs. 1 to 6),.the stylus drive-rod 16 is provided at its rear end with a relatively rigid enlarged generally cylindrical pivot member 65 serving as a mounting portion thereof which is rotatably seated within a rotary guide seat structure generally designated 70 held aflixed to the bottom rear part of the pickup casing or housing 35. The rotary guide structure 70'is shown formed of an inner guide structure 71 and a cooperating outer guide structure 78 which provide opposite sides of a rotary guide seat arranged to rotatably support and guide, the cylindrical pivot member 65. of the stylus driverod in an axially fixed position so that it may be turned 180 from one stylus position to the opposite of its two stylus positions.

In theform shown, each of the two rotary guide structures or members 71 and 78 are made of elastic strong sheet metal and they are so shaped and arranged as to permit ready removal and ready replacing of the cylindrical stylus pivot member 65 in its operative position within the guide seat of the pickup, with its stylus driverod 16 in detachable operative coupling engagement with the coupling recess 63-1 of the transducer drive extension 63.

The inner guide member 71 of the stylus drive-rod is formed of a generallysaddle-like U-shaped sheet structure having an intermediate seating section 72 underlying the rear bottom portion of the pickup housing 35 and provided with a re-entrant groove-like bearing seat 73 arranged to serve as a bearing for the cylindrical stylus pivot member 65. The seating section 72 of the inner guide member 71 is adjoined by two side arms 74 overlying and secured to the side walls .of the pickup casing 35 and for. holding its seating section 73 in its operative position. In the form shown, the side arms 74 are provided with laterally bent fastening plugs 74-1 which are secured, as by hollow rivets 74-2 to the overlying mounting bracket arms 44 of the pickup housing.

The outer guide member 78 is likewise formed of elastic sheet metal and is designed as a cantilever arm structure secured to the pickup housing and having a free arm 79 overlying the bearing seat 73 of the inner guide structure so as to elastically bias and hold positioned therein the cylindrical stylus ,pivot member 65. In the form shown, the outer guide member 78 has a side arm overlying the side arm 74, and the inner guide member 78has a side arm overlying the side arm 74 of the inner guide member 71, and it has a laterally extending fastening lug 78-1 which is clamped over the similar fastening lug 74-1 or the inner guide member to the overlying mounting bracket arm 44 of the pickup housing by the same common hollow rivet 74-2. The free arm79 of the outer guide member is designed to permit outward flexing thereof when lifting the stylus pivot member 65 from its bearing seat groove 73 for removing or replacing it in its operative position therein.

The two side arms 74 of the inner guide member 71 are also provided with stop. extensions 75 serving as limit stops against which the laterally extending stylus turn grip 69 is brought to a stop when turning the stylus driverod 16 over an angle of 180? from one to the opposite of its .two stylus positions. With this arrangement, it is merely necessary to seize the outer end of the stylus turn grip 69 and turn it 180 from one stop 75 against the opposite stop 75, whenever it is desired to bring another of the two opposite styli 21 into a groove scanning position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the form shown (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6) the stylus pivot member 65 of the stylus drive-rod is provided with an intermediate seating section 67 of somewhat reduced diameter arranged to engage thebearing seat 73 of the inner guide member 71. The two adjoining wider cylindrical portions of the stylus pivot member 65 form seat limits engaging the outer edges of the recessed bearing seat groove 73 of the inner guide member 71 to assure that the stylus pivotmember-65 with its stylus drive rod 16 are maintained in an axially fixed position while permitting rotary movement of the stylus, pivot member 65 between its twoopposite styli positions.

The stylus pivot member 65 of the turnover stylus is provided with novel biasing means for assuring that whenever the stylus drive-rod is turned past its mid position, it will be automatically brought to either one or the other of its two opposite styli positions.

In the form. shown, the intermediate stylus pivot seating portion 67 is provided with a laterally projecting or ofiset bias element 63 shaped and arranged to come into engagement with the overlying portion of the inwardly pressing outer guide member arm/79 so as. to cause the eccentrically bias element to be turned toward either one or opposite of its two inner positions when it is brought past a mid position while turning the stylus pivot member 65 from one to the opposite of its two styli positions. The bias element 68 i'sshownprovided by an outwardly bent intermediate portion of the intermediate seating section 67 of the stylus pivot member 65'. The cooperating bearing seat structure73 of the inner guide member 71 is provided with a cut-out or recess 73-2 into which the eccentric bias element 68 of the stylus pivot seating section 67 may enter when it is turned inwardly by the overlying inwardly pressing outer arm 79 of the outer seating member 78. In the form shown, the outer guide arm 79 of the guide structure 70 is provided with an inwardly deformed ridgelike bias portion 79-1 which engages the bias element 68 of the stylus pivot member 65 throughout the range of its turning movement from one to the other end position corresponding to the two opposite styli positions.

. The wider section of the relatively rigid stylus pivot member 65 is shown formed of a hollow tubing seated over and afiixed to a rod portion of smaller diameter forming the intermediate seating portion 67 thereof with its oifset eccentric bias element 68. The turn handle grip 69 of the stylus pivot member 65 is formed by a rearwardly bent portion of the wider rear section thereof and its end is flattened to provide a flat end grip portion 69-1.

The forward hollow portion of the stylus pivot member 65 is arranged to hold therein, in a fixed aligned position, the rear end of the stylus drive rod 16 so that the two styli are always in the proper groove engaging and tracing position when stylus turn grip 69 is brought against either one of its two opposite end stop members '75. In the form shown, the interior hollow forward portion of the stylus pivot member 65 is filled with a body 66 of elastomer material and the rear end of the stylus drive rod 16 is flattened and seated within a slit of the elastomer body 66 so that the two styli are in proper axial position relatively to the turn grip 69 of the stylus pivot member 65 to assure that each stylus is in its proper groove tracing position when it is brought to one of its two stylus positions when the stylus pivot member is turned from one toward the other of its two stops '75.

Under normal operating conditions with one of the two opposite styli 21 in a scanning engagement position, the laterally oflfset bias element 68 of the stylus pivot member 65 is biased to an end position in a generally horizontal plane within the rotary guide seat 73, being held therein by the biasing ridge 79-1 on the outer guide member 79. Whenever it is desired to selectively bring another of the two opposite styli 21 to a groove scanning operative position, it is merely necessary to seize the outer end of the turn-grip member 69 and turn it past the mid position. Thereupon, the biasing ridge 79-1 of the outer guide member 73 acting on the biasing element 68 of the stylus pivot member 65 brings it to the other stylus end position.

The foregoing arrangement provides simple but eifective means for positively bringing the turnover stylus drive rod 16 to one or the other of its opposite end positions 7 I p g whenever the stylus drive rod 16 .is turned past the midway point towards the opposite stylus position.

Fig. 6-Arshows a modified form of a stylus pivot mounting structure generally similar to that of Figs. '1 to 6, but wherein the inner guide member is provided with a bias element arranged to bring the offset bias element 68 of the turnover stylus pivot member 65 to one or the other of its stylus end positions whenever the stylus pivot member 65 is turned byits turn arm 69 past the mid position. The stylus mounting structure of Fig. 6A has an inner guide member 71-4 and an outer guide member 78-4, each of strong sheet metal and generally similar to the corresponding inner guide member 71 and outer guide member 78 of the mounting structure of Figs. 1 to 6. The inner guide member 71-4 is provided along its intermediate seating section with 'a re-entrant groove-like bearing seat73-4 for holding seated therein in an axially fixed but rotatable position the pivot section 67 of the stylus pivot member 65 of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, but having an offset bias element similar to bias element 68 of pivot member 65 of Figs. 1 through 6 but offset in opposite direction. The stylus pivot section 67 of the similar stylus pivot member 65 has its offset bias element 68 arranged to be'actuated to one of the opposite end positions corresponding to the two opposite styli positions of the stylus drive rod 16 when the stylus turn handle 69 is turned past the mid position in the same manner as explained in connection with Figs. 1 to 6. However, in the arrangement of Fig. '6-A, an intermediate portion of the inner guide tongue-like arm 71-5 provided on member 71-4 serves as the actuating element acting on the bias element 68 of the stylus pivot member 65 for bringing it to one or the other of its two end positions. The tongue-like actuating arm 71-5 is shown formed by partially cutting the inner sheet guide member 71-4 at its intermediate region along lines parallel to its side edges. The tongue-like actuating member 71-5 is bent and shaped in the manner indicated in Fig. 6-A so as to elastically bias by its spring action the offset bias element 68 of the stylus pivot member 65, so that when it is moved past the mid position-which is towards the top of the bearing seat 73-4 as seen in Fig. 6-.-A-the biasing action of the actuating arm 71-5 will cause it to be moved to its end position thereby completing the turning movement of the stylus pivot member 65 towards the opposite stylus position. The overlying arm portion 79-4 of the outer guide member 78-4 may be provided with a cut-out 79-5 in the region overlying.

the bias element 68 of the stylus pivot member 65 so as to eliminate any possible interference with the movement of the stylus pivot bias element 68 from one to the opposite end position when turning the stylus drive rod 16 to an opposite stylus position. Otherwise, the stylus drive rod mountingstructure of Fig. 6-A is substantially identical with that of Figs. 1 to 6.

Figs. .7 to show a phonograph pickup formed of similar elements as thatol Figs. 1 to 6, but provided with a modified form of mounting and guide structure for a similar turnover stylus drive rod 16 with a rigid pivot member 3-65. V

in the pickup of Figs. 7 to 15, the forward drive portion 34 of the piezoelectric transducer member 30 is pro vided with a modified form of drive extension 3-61 shown coupled through a similar coupling recess 3-63 to the stylus drive rod 16.. The flexible stylus drive rod 16 of the pickup of Figs. 7 through 15 is identical with that or Figs. 1 through 6. The flattened rear end of the flexible stylus drive rod 16 is carried in its operative position by a relatively stiff or rigid coaxial elongated mounting member or sleeve 3-65 having a lateral turn grip member 3-69 by meansof which the stylus drive rod may be turned about itsaxis for bringing either one of the styli into a groove engaging position. Within the hollow interior of the stiff elongated mounting member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 3-16 (Figs. 11, 14) is positioned a coaxial elongated mounting body 3-66 of rubber-like or elastomer material holding embedded therein the flatted elongated rear end portionof the flexible drive rod 16 so that'the elastomer body 3-66 forms the sole connection through which the relatively stitf or rigid sleeve carries the flexible stylus drive rod 16 with its one or more styli.

The pivot member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 16 is rotatably mounted in a modified form of rotary guide structure generally designated 3-72 and shown in perspective in Fig. 15. The rotary guide structure 3-72 is shown formed out of sheet metal shaped and bent to provide an intermediate rotary guide seat 3-71 formed of three guide segments 3-73, 3-74 rotatably supporting and guiding the cylindrical pivot member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 16. The rotary guide structure 3-72 is held aflixed to the outer surfaces of the rear wall portions of the casing walls 35 by two clamping arms 3-75 extending from the lateral guide segments 3-74 of the rotary guide seat 3-71. In the form shown, the two clamping arms 3-75 of the guide structure arm extend in overlapping relation over the bracket arms 43 of the pickup housing 35 and they are aflixed thereto and to the casing Walls 35 by the fastening rivet 41. To fix it against rotation about rivet 41, the seat segment 3-73 of the rotary guide structure is provided at its front with a bracing extension 3-76 bearing against a recessed downwardly facing wallportion of the casing walls 35 (Figs. 11, 15).

The clamping or fastening arms 3-75 of the rotary guide structure 3-72 of the stylus drive rod 16 are also provided with stop extensions 3-77 serving as limit stops against which the stylus turn-grip 3-69 is brought when turning the stylus drive rod from one stylus scanning position to the opposite stylus scanning positlon. With this arrangement, it is merely necessary to seize the outer end of the turn grip 3-69 of the stylus drive rod 16 and turn it 180 from one end-stop 3-77 against the opposite end stop 3-77 whenever it is desired to selectively bring another of the two opposite .styli 21 into a groove scanning operative position shown in Figs. 7 and 11.

The two lateral seat segments 3-74 of the rotary guide seat 3-71 for the cylindrical stylus pivot member 3-65 may be elastically flexed outwardly to permit removing of the cylindrical pivot member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 16 from its rotary seating engagement within its rotary guide seat 3-71, or for replacing it therein. The elastic bearing and .guide structure 3-72 may be so designed that-even in the absence of the biasing means provided for this purpose-its elastic restoring forces are sufi'icient to frictionally retain the cylindrical stylus pivot member 3-65 in each of its opposite operative positions when the stylus drive rod is brought to any of its two end positions (Figs. 7, 11).

Means may also be provided to bring the turnover stylus drive rod 16 to one or the other of its opposite end positions whenever the stylus drive rod 16 is turned past the midway point toward the opposite end position. Thus, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 a tail portion 3-79 of the center segment 3-73 of the rotary guide structure 3-72 may be utilized as a support for one end of a biasing spring 3-80, shown as a coil spring, the other end of which engages a perforation or ear of the stylus turnover grip 3-69 so that once the grip 3-69 is turned past the midpoint between its two end position, the biasing spring 3-80 will bring the grip 3-69 with the stylus arm 16 and its two styli 21 to the opposite end position.

Figs. 16 to 21 show another form of phonograph pickup exemplifying the invention. It comprises a transducer structure carried operatively held within a casing 35 at the forward end of the tone arm for actuation by a stylus drive rod 16, all these elements being substantially identical with those of the pickup of Figs. 7 to 13. How

ever, the pickup of Figs. 16 and 17 is provided with a modified rotary guide structure generally designated 80 for frictionally maintaining the cylindrical pivot member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 16 in any one of its two operative end positions and to permit ready turning of the stylus drive rod 16 with its two opposite styli 21 from one scanning position to the opposite scanning position. In the form shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the rotary guide structure 80 for the stylus pivot member 3-65 is formed of two guide sheet members 81, 91 of metal, for instance, each having a clamping arm aflixed against the opposite casing side walls 35, respectively, of the pickup over its respective fastening bracket arms 43 by the common fastening screw or rivet 41.

The two guide sheet members 81, 91 are provided with two elastically flexible arms 82, 92 bent into overlapping relation to provide two guide seat portions 83, 93 forming between them a cylindrical guide seat for frictionally holding the elongated stylus pivot member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 16 in its two operative opposite styli positions and to permit ready rotation of the stylus pivot 3-65 from one stylus position to the opposite stylus position.

Each clamped arm of the two guide structures 81, 91 is also provided with tongue-extension 85, 95, respectively, serving as limit stops limiting the movement of the turngrip 3-68 of the stylus drive rod 16 to its two end positions.

The rear edge of each of the two clamped arms of the two guide sheet structures 81, 91 (Figs. 18-21) has arms 86, 96 (Figs. 18-21) respectively, laterally bent along the rear surface of the pickup housing wall structure 35, and provided with a downwardly extending biasing spring arm bent to provide elastically flexible bias means for biasing the turnover grip to either of its opposite end positions when it is brought past the gate-like edge portion of the respective biasing tongues 86, 96 (Figs. 16, 18, 20).

It will be noted that the seating arm 92 of the guide sheet member 91 has a free elastically flexible end portion forming with the adjacent arcuate portion of the opposite seat arm 82 of the rotary guide seat structure 80 an outwardly tapering gate for permitting ready insertion of the elongated cylindrical pivot member 3-65 of the stylus drive rod 16 into its rotary seating position, by moving it from the left to the right as seen in Fig. 17. In a similar manner, the stylus pivot member 3-65 with its stylus drive rod may be removed from its seat in which it is shown in Fig. 17 by moving it with a relatively small force from the right to the left as seen in Fig. 17 against the elastic biasing forces of the seating arm 92 and the cooperating seating arm 82.

Fig. 23 shows a phonograph pickup similar to that of Figs. 16 and 17 provided with a somewhat different rotary seating structure for the stylus pivot member 3-65. It comprises two guide sheet members 81-1, 91-1, each having one mounting arm by which they are secured over one of the two supporting bracket arms 43 of the pickup housing structure 35 with the common fastening screw 41. Each of the two fastened arms of the guide sheet members 81-1, 91-1 has an elastically flexible seat arm 82-1, 92-1 bent to provide two rotary seating members 83-1, 93-1 operatively arranged in a manner generally similar to the corresponding elements of the pickup described in connection with Figs. 16 to 21 and providing a rotary seat for the pivot member 65 of the stylus drive rod 16. The rotary stylus pivot seat structure of the pickup shown in Fig. 23 is otherwise similar to that described in connection with Figs. 16 and 17.

A self-supporting detachable stylus drive structure of the type described above and having a single stylus only, carried by the relatively thin flexible drive member is also of great value in connection with phonograph pickups which are intended for reproducing records from one type of record groove only. By providing a relatively stiff rearward mounting portion holding in position an elongated coaxial elastomer body having embedded therein the rearward end of a flexible stylus drive rod carrying at its forward end a single stylus, the problem of joining such flexible drive rod to the transducer mounting structure is greatly simplified while assuring high fidelity translation of the undulatory movement of the single stylus into a corresponding electric output. In the present application the flexible stylus drive rod with its coaxial rearward elastomer body and associated stiif mounting portion is provided with one form of junction means whereby it is detachably joined in its proper operative position to the associated transducer mounting structure. However, other junction means may be provided for detachably joining the stifi' rearward mounting portion of the flexible drive rod to the transducer mounting structure. Such junction means may form part of or extend from the stiff rearward mounting portion of the flexible stylus drive member, such as described for instance in the copending application of N. H. Dieter, Jr., et al., Serial No. 487,508, filed February 7, 1955, and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

The features and principles underlying the invention described above in connection with specific exemplifications, will suggest to those skilled in the art many other modifications thereof. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims shall not be limited to any specific features or details shown and described in connection with the exemplifications thereof.

I claim:

1. A self-supporting stylus drive structure arranged for detachable mounting on a separable mechano-electric transducer structure forming part of a phonograph pickup for connection to a driven element of the transducer structure and driving the same, which stylus drive structure comprises a relatively thin elongated drive member carrying at the forward end region thereof a single stylus only, an elongated body of elastomer material coaxial with and embracing and flexibly holding embedded therein an elongated rear end region of said drive member so that it may be flexed therein by said stylus in a direction lateral to its length, and a relatively stifi elongated mounting structure coaxial with said drive member and said elastomer body and embracing at least the major length of said elastomer body, said elastomer body constituting the sole connection between said stiff mounting structure and said drive member.

2. In combination with a stylus drive structure as claimed in claim 1, a mechano-electric transducer structure operative to transduce vibratory movement imparted to a movable transducer portion thereof into a corresponding electric output, said movable transducer portion having a coupling element arranged to establish a detachable coupling connection with the forward region of said drive member, and junction means for detachably joining the mounting portion of said stylus drive struc-- ture to said transducer structure and holding said stylus drive structure in its operative position relatively to said transducer structure.

3. The combination claimed in claim 2, at least a portion of said junction means being formed by a flexible element secured to and carried by said transducer structure. 

